I haven’t been this excited for all my teams at once in a while. Hoosiers, Cubs, and Colts. Add in the Blues and Pacers with George back next year, and the possibility of Hoosiet football being respectable? It could be a banner sports year for Punjab.

A new tradition suggestion for Hoosier Scoop…..? When any of the above names returns to Scoop(or any that I’ve most certainly and regrettably forgot to mention), I would like to start a new ceremonial “welcome back” of sorts….Please play along by posting the following YouTube link when a “Legend of Scoop” returns…..

I now find myself back in Central America, Harv. I guess it’s better than the Middle East. Preparing to deploy and spending as much time as possible with my three little ones and the old lady didn’t lend much time to Scooping. But now, sadly, my own time is all I have.

We often spend so much time grumbling about our lives and wishing we could return to a point where sports, girlfriends, and who would show up at the Video Saloon were our primary concerns. But now I’d trade every available minute I have to peruse the Scoop to be back with my babies. And I’m only a week in.

Perspectives change. Life changes. But we have to take solace where we can. I’m just thankful for you and the rest of the Hoosier “family” for providing amusement, an opportunity for debate and reflection, and an escape. Go Big Red.

I used to really enjoy going to the movie store…..It was a place that you could mingle(maybe even hope for flirting eye and a smile) without a lot of social pressures…Just strike up a small conversations…”have you seen this”…or “I rented that last weekend…Great film” and sorta people watch while wondering through the aisles….grabbing at whatever picture on a cardboard flick box seemed intriguing.. Funny how you can miss the little things…..Movie stores always brought in all sorts of people…..Everybody loves an escape..and everybody desires new faces.

Movie stores were on there way out when I came of age. But I remember stalking the aisles, trying to find which video cover would offer me a glimpse of those things we now take for granted. I found a few.

I’m an hour behind CHI/STL time. 2 hours behind most IN time. It works out pretty well, thankfully. FaceTime. Can’t imagine the days where all we had was snail mail. Thinking of my grandparents, who thanks to WiFi no longer have to wait weeks for proof of life. I know I’m not the only one. Perspective…

Pujab,
Nice sentiments. Life is what happens while you’re making other plans. You never hear anyone say they spent too much time with their kids. You usually get back what you put into it…if you’re lucky.

Has someone changed the time zones? When I used to travel down there most of Central America was in the Central Zone (one hour behind Indiana) or, as Punjab might say, Zulu -6, except for Panama (and most of the Caribbean) at Zulu -5, or Eastern Time (same as Indiana).

When you fly across zones things can get really interesting (in that bad Chinese fortune sort of way) if you don’t stay on top of that stuff (mostly the Zulu minus stuff).

Going south doesn’t change the time zone you’re in. Or, it didn’t. Maybe they changed things just to mess with me.

Chet, there’s no DST here, so half the year we’re on central, the other half we’re on mountain. I deal enough with Zulu time at work. I prefer not to when I’m off duty.

And Harv, hate to say it, but the whole “movie store” reference went right over my head last night. While at one time I guess the Video Saloon actually showed movies (or so my parents said,) it’s now one of the bars of choice for Bloomington yokels and hipsters. I still swing by some times when I go home to shoot a round of pool and have a cheap drink. You know… for old times sake. I’m not as young as I used to be, but I’d like to think I’m just as hip. Don’t we all?

When my kids first got into sports we were thrilled to have these monstrous VHS cameras to record them. Then it went to analogue 8mm, followed by digital 8mm. We then went to various and sundry discs. Then flash memory.

I made sure to stay up to date so they would be viewable. Except, nobody watches old volleyball and wrestling matches.

Chet, Funny you mentioned it. With 3 sons we too have lots of game video and some practices too. Some years back we had them all put on disc(s). The Bride put them in a fitting album and I do not believe it has ever been opened to view. Funny thing is I thought it was such a hot idea to make the conversion update I also had some of the OOO-LLL-DDD 8mm stuff of games of my HS playing days. Now those were a momentary hit with the Sons. So down the road theirs may get attention also.

I believe your reference must have gone over my head…When you said “Video Saloon,” I just assumed that meant the movie store(e.g. Blockbuster, Hollywood Video Store). I don’t get out much.

Jeremy- Thanks for clarifying the signing thing. Wonder why the question was asked as if it had already started? And I wonder why Bryant just didn’t say that he plans on signing Wednesday or as soon as he can get pen to paper….? Don’t know how this works…Does someone from IU Basketball FedEx papers overnight…? Can signings be done electronically? Does a representative from IU have to be present?

Can a recruit that has verbally committed change his/her mind at any time during the whole process(including the signing period) and back out without penalty? I only ask because after looking up the history of the Terrence Jones breaking of a verbal with the University of Washington, I noticed he signed a “financial aid agreement” and not a “commitment” letter with UK….

Lastly, under NCAA rules, could a UK coach keep in contact with a kid like Bryant even if there has been a formal verbal commitment but no signed papers….?

H4H/Ron,
The question was to Bryant was basically whether he would sign on the first day possible. The actual signing process is virtually all electronic now except for the actual signature, so it’s more a matter of ceremony. Keep in mind Bryant is at prep school, so mom may want to be part of that process.

A recruit can change his mind at any point before actually signing. A financial aid agreement is what you sign after the signing period, like an Emmitt Holt last August. And, yes, a UK coach could stay in contact, though that is frowned upon in college basketball, unlike college football, hence the Eric Gordon uproar.

I suppose a player could be cut, but the PR backlash wouldn’t be pretty with that, and technically I don’t know that the university could just pay for education without it counting as a scholarship. Now, someone could agree to go off scholarship and be a walk-on, paying their own way.

Another question; With the new standards, an IU student athlete has a guarantee 4 yr education, right?
Could a kid be cut from the team , IU provides the education, and his athletic scholarship be offered to someone else?

Reading an article the other day, Ky fans feel too many state kids going out state to play. Don’t see that changing even with the NBA commissioner saying he would be open to changing the 1 & done to 2 & done.

HH – see the court results on the Mellencamp kids. The one yr in jail waived. Smith kid is next month I believe.

Yeah….Why would that court decision surprise me? They ran away like cowardly thugs when, thankfully, others piled out of the house to stop the beating….Where that beating would have ended without that intervention could have easily been “life threatening.” The kid’s face was pretty busted up…How many kicks and strikes to the head would have continued? Does 30 more seconds cross into danger? Does one more minute end up putting the kid into a coma? This wasn’t a one-on-one fight. It was a despicable and cowardly crime where three ganged up on a kid that wasn’t even the intended target.

I wouldn’t want these thugs anywhere near my children. If you’re into fighting, get in a ring. These three young men will likely learn nothing. They likely have no idea where there anger was going to take them. Three days in jail …What wonderful lessons shall be learned. I’m more than confident they’ve learned better choices than fists and violence.

Jeremy- Thanks for the singing clarifications..Everything done electronically except the signing still sounds rather odd. What’s the point of doing anything electronically if the ink must be put to paper to be valid?

And why would Calipari care what is “frowned upon?” Everything he does is frowned upon…

Maybe those boys (mellencamp) been watching too much TV? You got the Calif horse thief beating, everybody has a camera today. Than the Oklahoma CEO who figured he had enough money and wanted to play cop. Shot instead of tasered.